Albert Park and The Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough

On Saturday afternoon after a relaxing morning we decided to venture out to Middlesbrough. I remembered passing the park many years ago and thinking how I would like to visit one day so took the opportunity this afternoon after looking it up on-line. Parking was nice and simple in a little street just behind the museum and free for up to 2 hours, as the sun was shining we decided to take a little walk into Albert Park first.

Just outside of the park gates are some beautiful war memorials my daughters and I took a little time to read the plaques and I the girls asked a few questions about them too. We headed into the park and a lovely tree-lined path took us along to the central fountain which was created by Joseph Pease in 1869.

We found a lovely bandstand where my youngest had an impromptu dance then a play park and the girls had lots of fun playing all be it not for too long as it was very cold outside. So we decided to head back along to the museum to warm up.

I know we missed quite a lot of things in the park and look forward to going back in the spring to explore the rest, it was just too cold for us today to enjoy the park. I think we passed a handful of people and for a park located very near the centre of Middlesbrough the weather was clearly putting lots of people off. For any football fans they do have a statue of Brian Clough in the park too.

The Dorman Museum is located in front of the main gates to the park, as you enter you have a lovely looking tea room to your right and straight ahead is the entrance/gift shop to the museum. As we stepped into the entrance I could see I had made a good choice with display alone in that area looking impressive.

As we entered the girls found a great little area, a space that recreates an Anderson Shelter with a little bench inside for you to sit at and metal hats to try on. They also had inside posters and displays to help visualise how it would have been. My girls had a few questions as we were sat on the bench and I explained my knowledge of the shelters and where they would be located, but once we got home later in the evening my youngest had many more questions.

The whole museum had such a great variety of displays, from shoe shops where your children can try on the shoes to a room transformed into a pub. They really have got such a lot to see and explore within the museum. If you have a football fan with you when visiting will be pleased to know they have an area all to do with Middlesbrough Football Club too.

They have many interactive displays and my girls were keen to explore. They had an impressive room full of Thomas Hudson Nelson collection of birds and eggs which was given to the museum in 1914.

With so much downstairs I actually forgot there was an upstairs and more to see! It did not disappoint, as we entered the room to our left we were greeted with a visual delight. With a full-size dinosaur model, an impressive display of human skulls throughout the years, local fossils and all under a starry sky.

Again upstairs there are many rooms and areas to browse, another room which stood out was the H2O room with lots of interactive play for the children. Overall the museum far exceeded my expectations and being free entry is great to keep the kids inspired by history and to help them continue to learn. The Dorman Museum website can be found here for more information. The museum is located just off Linthorpe road and the postcode is TS5 6LA.

Have you visited? Which part was your favourite? Let me know in the comments. Also if you like my blog please click the follow button to get updates on new posts. I’m also on social media you can find all links on here to follow me.